Must See & Do

The City

Years of playing second fiddle to San Sebastian are over- Bilbao is the de facto capital of the Basque region, and since the 1997 opening of Frank Gehry’s gleaming titanium Guggenheim Museum, it’s been full steam ahead for this one time industrial giant. It might not win any prizes for physical beauty, but it will slowly win you over with its cultural richness, cosmopolitan flair, and world class food.

FOODS TO TRY:

SeafoodThe combination of Bilbao’s Bay of Biscay location and the strong Basque food culture is a match made in heaven. Think anchovies, cod, hake, sardines and squid.

HIDDEN GEM:

Bilbao Fine Arts MuseumIt’s not all about the Guggenheim, and the Fine Arts museum is everything the Guggenheim isn’t. It’s smaller and more modest; it has dozens of small rooms packed with etchings, sculptures, and paintings from a variety of artists, and it’s free every Wednesday.

Must Sees

Guggenheim Museum The main attraction of Bilbao, this art museum is also one of the most important contemporary buildings in the world.